Deck lid hinge



Oct. 7, 1952 J. H. ROETHEL DECK LID HINGE Filed Jan. 16, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET l INVENTOR. .722 1/. 75281 1261.

Oct-- 7,1952 J. H. ROETHEL ,5

DECK LID HINGE Filed Jan. 16, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 A INVENTOR. JZI1 /7'. Faefiz'el Patented. Oct. 7, 1952 DECK LID HINGE John H. Roethel, Detroit, Mich., a ssignor to Marvel Equipment Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 16, 1947, Serial No. 722,439

Claims. 1

This invention relates to hinges for upwardly swinging lids or closures such, for example, as hinges useful in vehicle or automobile bodies in connection with the deck lids, bonnets and trunk lids thereof. a

An object of the invention is to provide a hinge device for an upwardly swinging lid or closure having improved spring controlled means for counterbalancing the weight of the lid, assistin in raising the same, and maintaining the lid in raised position;

A further object'of theinvention is to provide a hinge device for a swinging lid, such as adeck lid, in which the pivoted hinge member attached to the lid is actuated in improved and positive manner through the medium of a link connected to a crank arm controlled by a spiral clock-type spring, the improved relation of the crank arm and link to the hinge arm being such as to provide very effective and powerful lifting action substantially throughout the range of movement of the lid thereby relieving the operator of-any appreciable effort in opening the lid.

Another object-of the invention is to provide an improved spring device for imparting swinging motion to'the pivoted hinge member for the deck lid or closure, such device comprising a spring actuated crank arm connected by an end- Wise shiftable link to the hinge member and being characterized by the fact that the crank arm, in the closedposition of-the lid, extends upwardly from its pivot oppositely to'the hinge member and. has during opening. movement of the lid 2.

rotative o'r pivotal motion in a direction oppo-' site to the rotative or pivotal motion of the hinge member. -By virtue of thisimproved construction the maximum effort of the spring and the maximum leverage effort of the crank arm are taken advantage of and utilized.

Still another object of the inventionis to provide a spring controlled hinge device for an upwardly swinging lid which is compact, strong and relatively light in construction, economical to manufacture, and constructed "in improved manner to reduce to a minimum the manual effort required to operate the lid.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification whereinlike reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear end of an automobile body illustrating a' lid or closure hinged to the body by means of a hinge structur or device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the body and deck lid and illustrating the hinge structure or device in side elevation with the deck lid in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the position of the hinge device with the deck lid in open position.

Fig. 4. is a view taken substantially through. lines 4-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. v

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially through lines 55 of 'Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and-not of limitation.

In the drawings there is illustrated, by way of example, one embodiment of a hinge device or hinge structure in accordance with the present invention as applied to an upwardly swinging closure, such as the deck lid of an automobile body. It will be understood that the hinge of the present invention may be utilized in connection with other closures such, for example, as the swingin hood lidor bonnet of a vehicle body. In the present embodiment of the invention the hinge structure is applied to an automobile body A which has a metal roof panel which may be formed-as a single stamping or, as illustrated. may comprise a main panel B joined by spot welding to a rear sloping deck panel B. Within the latter is a compartment having an opening C into the compartment which is adapted to be closed by means of a swinging lid or closure member D.

The hinge structure in the illustrated embodiment comprises a stamped or pressed metal hinge arm or member In which is flanged along its edges and longitudinally ribbed for reinforcement purposes. In the present embodiment two hinge devices are utilized for supporting the deck lid D and these devices, which are identical in construction, are spaced apart transversely of the lid. The outer portion of each hingemember I i! underlies the upper edge of the deck lid and is bolted at H to the inner metal panel I2 of the 3 deck lid. Each hinge member or hinge arm I is of generally goose-neck construction, as shown at Illa, so as to permit the hinge member to swing about and clear the upper edge of the deck lid compartment C. The inner end portion Iflb of the hinge member thus extends within the deck lid compartment and terminates near but immediately behind the rear upper edge thereof."-

This end portion Iflb is pivoted at 'l3through the medium of a shoulder rivet to the outer end of a pressed metal angle bracket l4.

The bracket M of the hinge structure is.pro-,.

vided with an upper laterally extending flange" la provided with slots i toreceiveboltsldbyi means of which the bracketiid i'si rigidly securedto an angle bracket structure it mounted within and secured to the roof panel N3 ofthe deck lid compartment C, this bracket havin an extension Ila spot welded to the rear flanged edge of the panel B. The slotsflS permit any needed adjustment of the hinge bracket (it during installation thereof. It willbe-understood that the hinge bracket Moithe hinge-devicewill be'designed to suit the particular car and may -.bc

mounted within the rocfof the .reardeck co m.

, partment in' any suitable manner.

Thedepending web of the-hinge bracket 14, as

shown in Fig. 5', is formed: with. an aperture flanged at [9 to provide a bearing-for the-cylina drical portion ofashoulder-rivet -28 rigidly securedto the innerror-lower endzof'a crank.- or:

lever arm 2|. This crank arm extendsfromthe rivet Zilupwardly and somewhat fearwardly in an angular directionand-theupper end thereofis pivoted through the medium of a shoulder rivets 22 to the rear end of a link 3. The opposite end ofthis. link-is pivoted through themedium of-a shoulder rivet Eito-amearwardly oifset portionlllc of the-hinge member -Hl-. ','Ihus,,in'the closed position of the deck lid D the-link 23 extends from the pivot 22 in the general direction of the pivot or-hinge E3 of the-hinge-member IQ and is posi tionedaboveitherivet 2G ofythe crank arm- 2| preferably quit-e closely to the upper flanged edge 14a of the hinge bracket l4:

7 The shoulder rivet or studfZil, formingthe pivot for thecrank or lever arm- 21, is provided-with.

an integral extension it wformedawith a=transverse'slot or kerf within which is-anchoredthe inner end of a-spirally-woundclock-type spring 25.

tofurnish, where two hinge devices are used, the

required effort to fully counterbalance one-half the-weight of-the deck-lidDa The-outer hooked" end 25aiof the clock-typespring 25-is anchored in a-notch formed in a log I42; struck out from the-metal of-.the-hinge-bracket 14;: From closed positionof the .deck'lid; shownin-Fiig, 2,- to fully open position,- shown in Fig.- 3, the-crank arm 2! will swing fromthe positionoi-Fig. 2 to the posi--' tionof Fig. 3. I prefer to limit therange of open-v ing movement by providing a stop 26 whichimayy take the form of a lug embossed from the metal ofthe hinge bracket M; and engaged" by the crank-arm2i as shown in Fig. 3.

Durin operation;as the deck; lid is lowered from'the position of Fig. 3-the pivot 24 willmove wise shiftablelink 23, thus progressively loading The construction orwvinding up the spring 25.

"5D This spring is provided with a'number of convolutionsand is selected as, to strength so as 4 is preferably such that the center of the pivot 2 3 will pass slightly above the dead center line 27 thereby holding the lid in its closed position shown in Fig. 2 and rendering the spring substantially ineffective, or nearly so, to exert any eiiort through crank arm 2| and link 23 on the hinge arm I ll tending to swing it in either directiOni -Very.' little effective .eijfort of the spring is, therefore,.=exertedwhen-the lid is closed and but little lifting movement of the lid is necessary to move the pivot 24 below the dead center line where the full effort of the spring may be brought into" play to assist in raising the lid.

Thus;,=during ;the initial lifting of the lid from iitshfullyuclosed. position in Fig. 2 very little er"- fo'r-t is requircd 'toraise it the short distance neededto position the pivot 24 below dead center line 2?. When this occurs the spring 25 exerts an; efiectivle lifting action which assists in raising the lid to the fully open position and holding it in: such position; the spring being constantly under;predetermined lcad: and installed in such condition: lgiftingyaction of the spring rotates the stud or shaft ,2ii-and-swings the crank arm 2| in a clockwise direction, as viewed in the drawings. Duertothe-initial upwardly directed position o f thecrank-arm its maximum leverage effort willbeatransmittedtothe link 23 within the rangeoi; angular; travel ofhinge arm I 0. The present-hinge deviceis, therefore, characterized by the swinging or rotation of;,the-crank arm 2i in@a; -directiO, 1 0pposite ;to-th irotative or swin mct Q he h e ar 0, 1

Th$1..above;mentioned' advantage in operation of the-presenthinge deviceisachieved while at the gsame time enabling;use; of a relatively short link ziifiand aconstruction which is more compact and-stronger, lighter in weight, occupying less room within-the compartment and adapted to be mountedso asto ofier less obstruction to bag-gage or other articles stored therein.

I claim;

1. A hingedevice for aswingin g lid or closure adapted to be raised: andzlowered to open and close; an ,opening,-;compr ising a fixed support, a hinge member-pivoted to the support and adapted to besecured to;the,lidforclosure, a crank arm pivoted: to. the -;support atqa point spaced from ther-pivotofjsaid' hinge,member, a wound spring having ;one end;- connectedto the crank arm and its other end; connected to the support, and a controllink.pivotedrto the outer end of the crank arnrandalso pivotedto said hinge member at a point;spacedefrom the axis of swinging thereof,

,.saidacontrolzlinkibeingzdisposed in the closed position ofythe; lid-entirely above a line passing through:.the .axes;vof swinging of the crank arm andrhinge memberpsaid crank arm being adapted to swing in a direction-opposite to the direction ofiswinging;oi .the:.hinge member during raising and loweringvofitheilidfland said spring acting to :counterbalance lthetweight of said lid during raisingr'and lowering zmovement thereof.

2; A hingeadeviceiforca swinging lid or closure adapteditonbe-raisedxand lowered to open and close an opening, comprising a fixed support having atbase "portion; a hinge member pivoted tothe. supportrand adapted to .be secured to the lid-:or;.closure,:. a's crank arm pivoted to the support .at:a.-.,p,oint.:spaced :from the pivot of said hinge member, arspirally' wound spring having its inner end connectedtothecrank arm and its .201111812911111i'COIIIlBCtBdE to uthexsupport, and a control linkzpivotedto the free end of the crank armandralso pivoted to said hinge member at a point spaced from the axis of swinging thereof, said control link being disposed in the closed position of the lid entirely above a line passing through the axes of swinging of the crank arm and hinge member, said crank arm extending toward said base portion from its pivot axis and adapted to swing in a direction opposite to the direction of swinging of the hinge member during raising and lowering of the lid, and said spring acting to counterbalance the weight of said lid during raising and lowering movement thereof.

3. A hinge device for a swinging lid or closure adapted to be raised and lowered to open and close an opening, comprising a fixed support having a base portion, a hinge member pivoted to the support and adapted to be secured to the lid, a crank arm pivotally connected to the support and extending toward said base portion, a spring connected to the crank arm and the support to yieldingly restrain pivotal movement of the crank arm relative to the support, and a control member connecting said crank arm to the hinge member at a point spaced from the axis of swinging of said hinge member, said control member being disposed in the closed position of the lid entirely above a line passing through the axes of swinging of the crank arm and hinge member, the axis of swinging of the crank arm in the closed position of the lid being further from the pivotal axis of the hinge member than from said point of connection of the control member to said hinge member, said crank arm being adapted to swing in a direction opposite to the direction of swinging of the hinge member during raising and lowering of the lid.

4. A hinge device for a swinging lid or closure adapted to be raised and lowered to open and close an opening, comprising a fixed support having a base portion and a flange portion and adapted to be located within a compartment with said base portion connected to a wall of the latter, a, hinge member pivoted to the flange portion at one end thereof, a spring connected to the flange portion at the other end thereof, an end wise shiftable link pivoted at one end to the hinge member at a point spaced from the axis of swinging ofsaid hinge member, and means for connecting the other end of said link to the spring, said means including a swinging member pivotally connected at its lower end to the flange and at its upper end to said other end of said link, said link being disposed in the closed position of the lid entirely above a line passing through the axes of swinging of the swinging member and hinge member.

5. A hinge device for a' swinging lid or closure adapted to be raised and lowered to open and close an opening, comprising a fixed support having a base portion and a vertically extending flange portion adapted to be located within a compartment with said base portion connected to a wall of the latter, a hinge member pivoted to the flange at one end thereof, a spring connected to the flange at the other end thereof, and a control member pivoted at one end to the hinge member at a point spaced from the axis of swinging of said hinge member, a crank arm connected to the spring at a point spaced from the pivotof said hinge member, said crank arm being pivoted at its lower end to the flange portion and being pivoted at its upper end to the other end of said control member, said spring acting to counterbalance the weight of said lid or closure during raising and lowering movement thereof, said control member being disposed in the closed position of the lid entirely above a line passing through the axes of swinging of the crank arm and the hinge member.

' JOHN H. ROETI-IEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,308,759 Joachim Jan. 19, 1943 2,320,752 Roethel June 1, 1943 2,341,847 Roethel Feb. 15, 19451 

